title: Candida albicans ENO1 null mutants exhibit altered drug susceptibility, hyphal formation, and virulence.
abstract: We previously showed that the expression of ENO1 (enolase) in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans is critical for cell growth. In this study, we investigate the contribution of the ENO1 gene to virulence. We conducted our functional study of ENO1 in C. albicans by constructing an eno1/eno1 null mutant strain in which both ENO1 alleles in the genome were knockouted with the SAT1 flipper cassette that contains the nourseothricin-resistance marker. Although the null mutant failed to grow on synthetic media containing glucose, it was capable of growth on media containing yeast extract, peptone, and non-fermentable carbon sources. The null mutant was more susceptible to certain antifungal drugs. It also exhibited defective hyphal formation, and was avirulent in BALB/c mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Ching
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Ting-Yin
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Chiung-Tong
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yun-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins